Day #360
Scripture Reading: Jude ...
The Church was in its "infancy" when Jude
and the other apostles wrote the letters of the New Testament. It was a
time like no other in the history of the world. So many prophecies from
the Old Testament Scriptures had been fulfilled in Jesus, the Christ, the
Messiah. And now, following His resurrection and ascension, Jesus had
fulfilled another promise: the pouring out of God's Spirit into the
hearts of Jews and Gentiles alike. Not only had God kept His promise to
Abraham to make of him a great nation, but now He was fulfilling His promise
that in His "Seed" all nations on earth would be blessed
(Genesis 12:3). Jesus was now building His Church through the
proclamation of the Gospel and the work of His Spirit.
The apostles clearly understood this fact as they
addressed their letters. "Jude,
a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, to those who have been
called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: Mercy,
peace and love by yours in abundance" (verses 1-2). Remember
that these words were written during the first few decades following Christ's
death and resurrection. Persecution against those who believed in Jesus
was intense and false teachers were already leading many astray, trying to make
a profit by pretending to be disciples of Jesus, promising people eternal life
and miracles in exchange for worldly possessions (not unlike today!).
Jude was eager to write to his brothers and sisters in Christ "about
the salvation we share," but there was something else on his
heart ...
"I felt I had to write and urge you to contend
for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (verse
3). False teachers had slipped in among them and were already leading
many astray. That is true today as well. His description of them is
fitting: "They are godless men, who change the grace of our God
into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign
Lord" (verse 4).
These men (and women) talk about Jesus, claim to
believe in Jesus and even use verses from God's Word to deceive people into
believing they are disciples of Jesus. They do not talk about sin and its
consequences, or about the need for repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for
forgiveness. There is hardly a mention of the cross and what Jesus did
there. Instead, these declare that Jesus loves everybody, no matter what,
and that the worst problem people have is not knowing God loves them.
They "sell" miracles and salvation to those who are gullible
enough to "sow a seed" into THE(IR) kingdom. They
leave people in their sin and call it "grace."
Where the true Gospel is preached the Holy Spirit
convicts the heart and mind of the need for a Savior, for one to pay the
penalty for sin in our place, and points always to Jesus Christ, the only
Mediator, our Redeemer, our Savior and Lord. How sadly pathetic these
false teachers are in their vain attempts to make a name for themselves, all
the while claiming to love Jesus so much. God will be their Judge.
Jude explains in verses 5-7 that God knows how to judge the ungodly and
that false teachers will not escape His just judgment. "They serve as an example of those who
suffer the punishment of eternal fire" (verse 7).
As Jude explains in verse 11, they are like Cain,
Balaam and Korah, who all rebelled against God and whose hearts were focused on
themselves. "These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating
with you without the slightest qualm - shepherds who feed only themselves"
(verse 12). We must pray for discernment today, for such
"teachers" are numerous in the church. These supposed teachers
take advantage of the widespread biblical illiteracy plaguing the church in our
modern world where most people in churches take no time to read and study God's
Word and so remain vulnerable to every wind of doctrine. They tell people to listen to the “Spirit,”
and ignore the very Word the Spirit inspired to bring God’s people to spiritual
maturity in Christ.
These false teachers throw stones at those who
proclaim the true Gospel. "These
men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they
boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage" (verse
16). Apart from the knowledge of God's truth that is found only in His
Word, people are easily deceived. As Peter warned his readers of the "scoffers" who
would come, so Jude does the same (verse 18). "These are the men
who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the
Spirit" (verse 19).
"But YOU, dear friends, build yourselves up in
your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in
God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to
eternal life" (verses 20-21). God's grace brings
salvation, from beginning to end. Those who are true believers know we
have been "called" by the Spirit, "loved by God
the Father" and are "kept by Jesus Christ" (verse
1). I didn't choose Jesus, He chose ME, gave me His Spirit, by whose
power I was born again, confessed my sin, repented, believed in Jesus and am
saved. HE receives ALL the glory ... I receive NONE!
If that describes you, then you are one of Jesus'
sheep and you will heed His warning to watch out for false teachers. You
will never stop confessing your need for God to continue the work He has begun
in you. You will never rely on yourself or your own power, but always on
the One who lives within You by His Spirit. You will feed on God's Word
because you know you need to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ in order to mature and to be equipped to lead others to Christ for
forgiveness and life.
And you who have received God's mercy, peace and
love in abundance, will continually rejoice in the truth with which Jude
concludes his brief letter: "To Him who is able to keep you from
falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with
great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority
through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen"
(verses 24-25).
"My Father in heaven, I am not ashamed to
declare that I need You. You have shown me mercy, peace and love through
the gift of Your Son, and by the power of Your Spirit alone You have made me
alive!! Give me grace each day to find all the wisdom I need in Your Word
and help me to discern those who are false teachers, who have slipped in among
Your people today. To You, Father, I commit my heart, my mind, my soul,
my life, giving You the praise and thanks for my salvation, trusting that You
will complete what You have begun. In Jesus' name, Amen"
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